Times Square already has enough flashing lights and giant billboards to make subtlety feel deeply unwelcome. Add Shaquille O’Neal, a basketball court, and a little friendly competition, and suddenly New York’s busiest backdrop has the makings of a very Shaq afternoon.
The former NBA superstar joined NordVPN for a recent Times Square event that brought basketball and online security together. Yes, that sounds like an unusual combination. But if anyone can make a conversation about protecting your phone feel like something you might actually stop to watch, it’s the Big Diesel.
According to TechRadar’s October 9 coverage, members of the public got the chance to test their scoring skills against experienced basketball players. The defenders supplied the blocks, while the company used the action to illustrate its digital-protection message.
A basketball demonstration is certainly one way to improve a technology presentation. Most of us would rather watch someone attempt a dunk than sit through another slide featuring a stock photo of a laptop. Throw Shaq into the equation, and the attention problem pretty much handles itself.
The event also featured freestyle rapper Harry Mack, who joined Shaq on the bright blue court and helped bring some musical energy to the proceedings. Basketball, freestyle rap, and one of the most recognizable people on the planet: that’s a fairly ambitious upgrade from handing out branded pens.
But the sweetest moment belonged to a young basketball fan.
Cybernews reported that Shaq offered $5,000 to anyone who could sink a free throw. A boy wearing an oversized Lakers jersey stepped up and made the shot, sending the crowd into a celebration.
Now that is a pretty good reason to practice your fundamentals.
There’s something wonderfully fitting about a young fan in Lakers colors getting his moment with Shaq nearby. For anyone who grew up watching the big man play, that jersey brings its own basketball memories. For the kid taking the shot, the important part was probably much simpler: ball, basket, enormous opportunity.
And unlike the elaborate highlight-reel moves people rehearse in their driveways, this challenge came down to a free throw. No spinning through three defenders. No leap from somewhere wildly optimistic. Just stepping up and getting the job done. Somewhere, a youth basketball coach has excellent new material for the next practice.
The appearance was part of Shaq’s role as a NordVPN ambassador, a partnership announced in September. The company’s message centered on bringing stronger defense to everyday digital life, with the court providing a familiar way to explain the idea.
For our money, the fan moment was the real attraction. A promotional event can have all the branding in the world, but a kid making a shot gives people something human to enjoy.
That’s the appeal of this particular Shaq outing: a big public stage, a little basketball theater, and room for someone else to have the highlight.
Times Square has no shortage of things competing for attention. This time, though, the memorable image wasn’t another towering advertisement. It was a young fan in a roomy Lakers jersey delivering when it counted.
Shaq brought the star power. The kid supplied the finish. We’d happily watch that combination again.